


The Deep Arendelle Incident

by SStahl



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alien Invasion, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Half Life Fusion, Angst, Blood and Violence, Gen, Gun Violence, Minor Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22909813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SStahl/pseuds/SStahl
Summary: The fact that places like the Deep Arendelle exist is always a promise for Elsa. But the myths that circulate surrounding this facility always makes her question how the facility gets away with it for so long. Maybe her new employer can provide the answer along with an unexpected job opportunity.





	1. A Realm Of Isolation

**Good morning, and welcome to the Deep Arendelle Transit System**

_This is the right one, isn't it?_

Kristoff lied to her. Either Elsa is being stupid for that one time he asks her to do this, or she's just being stupid right at this moment as she thought she could bring along her inner reclusiveness for wrong expectations of what Deep Arendelle does. She had no expectation of any ill-wills from his part, but his action and whatever its consequences may be will be hers alone to handle until he himself stepped in to help. And if she's late to find the right train to her assignment at Sector C, that is exactly what would happen.

**This train is inbound from Level 3 Dormitories to Sector C Test Labs and Control Facility**

"You're the new Sector C anomalous pusher aren't you?"

Elsa realized she's out of her soda when she hears the woman that sits over the front seat of the train. Her purple lab coat overlayed her white shirt, unlike just about everyone else she meets before, that spelled trouble. The answer is supposed to be 'yes', but her soda ran out.

"Yes, ma'am," that's all she had to say, nothing more. As she takes a look outside the window, her eyes were aimed at fellow scientists onboard another train, reading his newspaper comfortably. Looks like a newspaper would have been a better option. Elsa herself doesn't look like a job-ridden individual at all, making her lateness embarrassing thing to admit. Nothing wrong can really go wrong when she's still on board, but who knows what awaits. And her forehead furrows as she heard a chuckle.

"Nonono it's fine, you're a first-timer" The woman's head tilted and shaken from where Elsa can see it. Her hand gesture is another thing that's visible from Elsa's side in the rear seat. "I've been here for about five years and about seventy times late, you'll be fine." That colors her surprised, surprised that lateness is something the woman just record on a note rather than pass and forget.

From the looks of things, the woman seemed harmless to have a word out with. She did trust Elsa enough to reveal her track record. And it looked like she won't face this day alone. "Here? You mean Sector C?"

"You got it" The woman answered as she looked back and hand Elsa some apparently classified documents as it is written over. Elsa was about to ask a lot of why's but the woman hand-gestured her to just open the documents. The content of the folder is pretty much just a Deep Arendelle manual, the kind of that Elsa herself has. But as she opened the manual she noticed that some of the pages were capped off with a seal that reads 'Clear4 Exceptions'. And the answer was "In case you are wondering, the seal meant that things get better," Elsa hasn't asked, but alright. She had a better query in mind anyway.

"If I may, do you know someone named Kristoff Bjorgman. He's the reason I'm here."

"Oh, that rugged-looking security guy. Usually, security division doesn't make a lot of names for themselves, but that guy does something… Inexplicable when he was assigned at Sector E about a few months ago. It's very taboo to talk about newbie technical inexperiences in general here, but from my perspective, he totally knew what he did. His doings is the story of the month and, I'll tell you here, it's a fresh change because this facility's only interesting story usually is a solo breakthrough which sometimes is actually a setback, new supermachine for purposes we can laugh at, or as I said before newbie inexperiences. At least they tried to be subtle about said inexperiences on the announcement system but we learn to be receptive of newbie mistakes in all these years of serving for the facility, good for you."

"Thanks, really. That's something I thought would come from him, since my existence here is due to him and all."

"I'm sure he would have something similar to say if he's here, two world experiences I guess. Maybe you can enrich each other perspectives on something better than mundane posting on his side and whatever part of the job that makes you feel nothing on yours."

"Certainly will."

**If you feel you've been exposed to radioactive or other hazardous material in the course of your duties, contact your radiation safety officer immediately**

"You know, for a facility dedicated to mankind's future, their monorails really need to go off to the junkyard with the moronic higher-ups that withheld the good stuff for their little secret society," The woman said with a bit of anger. Elsa listened yet she felt like she's receiving unintended attention from… somewhere. Though she didn't pay attention around for too long before tuning back in to the conversation.

"I'm kind of puzzled about this facility way of employing, have anyone retired from this place, openly?" Elsa asked.

"No, forbid that I let them probe the only privacy I had left in the world, but that's just me," the woman answered flatly

"Like… brain probing, they do that here?"

"That's the first step, then they will probe everything else about you. Your former room, your data files, your physical archives, everything about this place will be gone from your thoughts when you're released in their select settlements across Arendelle," the woman said with ease as if she had nothing to do or nothing at stake.

"Okay, that's… dark, I guess?" Elsa's response suggests some sense of disgust on the matter. As far as she saw nothing in this facility really warranted quarantinal actions like that. But well, she hasn't dived beyond the rule barriers yet.

"It is and it's very fitting. Because that's a price ten people are willing to pay. Personally, for me their choice is insane, but this is an extraordinary place for extraordinary people. You will find many alike in the future for sure."

"That's… I don't?" The reply kind of weirded her out. She doesn't love crowds for sure, and this place subverted her expectation of what a dedicated research facility does. But the thought of meeting someone similar to herself is an opportunity of a lifetime. But if she got nothing, none of her previous experience will be surefire help to handle the upcoming dissatisfaction. But she started nothing yet, for now she had someone's promise at hand.

The woman smiled. "You're not like them, and if you're performing even better than me, expect some extraordinary opportunity."

"Such as?"

"You'll see."

**Now arriving at Sector C Test Labs and Control Facilities**

"We're here, ready for the job sweetie?" The train is approaching the Sector C platform as the woman asked. The visible part of the Sector C platform leads to an airlock where an access device is located right beside it. The platform looked like normal grates that Elsa commonly saw all around Arendelle. The platform rattled as a strangely helmetless security guard approached the train.

"Are there any hidden rules I should know about?" Elsa did wonder why the guy on the platform gets to do that. It isn't forbidden by the book. Maybe because things get easier as the woman said before.

"Nothing," the woman answered as she stood leaning on the seat she sat on earlier. She seemed to be ticked off by the action of the security guy that they both about to put up with.

"Fine then," Elsa closed the talk as the man about to unload them off the tram.

"Morning… wow, unusual," the helmetless security said condescendingly while drinking a bottle of scotch. Elsa wasn't sure if he's really like that or if the booze got him. Seeing the guy acted like this and remembering what she was told about Kristoff makes Elsa appreciated him more, at least as long as her own situation permitted. Thankfully she hasn't gone too far to that direction to give the helpful woman a chance. She decided that thinking positive for once can't be very harmful.

The woman, however, wanted none of his stuff. Arms crossed, she turned into someone Elsa once scared of for a moment. "The general contract stated that-".

"Ah fine, alright, pardon me Miss Iduna, and who's this friend of yours?" The guy went soft all of sudden. Every party on this platform did have a crime they had to account for. Elsa herself just wants to get off this rattling platform as soon as possible, and so does Iduna. Her name, apparently.

"Elsa, the Anomalous Materials Testing newest associate,"


	2. Nothing Is Safe Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa tries to work her way out throughout the facility scheduling. Iduna's help could only last for so long. She had to prepare herself to participate in a major scientific breakthrough. Even if she had only a small role to play.

The metal doors, on a second, separated both parties. Both Elsa and Iduna kept their voice tight. The drunken security guard had let them in, as they have let him have his peace. He can save his name, as his disrespect passed and forgotten. Elsa wished that things had been easier for them as it was for the guy.

The airlock opened as the clean air broke out and cleanse a rather spacy, concrete-walled room filled with chattering echo of science associates around that for the most part seemingly not cared about the untimely arrival. Well except a security guard that posted over a desk in the middle of the room. He called them over for something related to facility scheduling… or so she thought.

"Hey, Mrs. Iduna. I wish you would be here sooner. Usually, you gonna have to deal with the administrator for untimely arrivals in these times. But the administrator wants none of that and told me to request your assistance on system crashes down on the direct analysis office."

And right off the bat, she had to face her punishment alone. Three shots of unfortunate events have happened so far. Head scratched, Elsa took a look at her watch. Half an hour late, yet from where she's standing no one is doing anything of importance. Maybe they're content with the delay, probably. She should take nothing out of her head as the truth yet.

Iduna, on the other hand, responded to the said request with a head-tilt to the side and a rub to her chin. She had no idea why the admin wanted her to go all the way to the direct analysis office when she could have done the maintenance job right here. The security only business being assigned here is certainly stopped by the crash so it's not like he had any reason to stop her as far as she knows. After a brief glance around, she said: "Can't we do that here?"

"We're not supposed to fix all system crashes in the sector. It's going to take hours. There's a reason the administrator wants you down there as fast as possible. He wanted the result out as soon as possible."

Wanted a result as soon as possible, classic authoritarian talking. From Elsa's current viewpoint, the administrator's decision to forfeit overall facility stability to speed up the currently non-descript experiment does not paint him in a very favorable light. But this might not be some by the numbers experiment. This may well be something big for the facility, the first one that conveniently happened on her first day. Or it's just her being unaware of how the Deep Arendelle facility works at large. Maybe they could have postponed her assignment for a few more days if not for the emphasis they're putting on today's test.

Taking a brief look around, Elsa noticed a big map of the world on the wall behind the security seat, or it looked like it. They certainly weren't utilizing the thing for similar reasons to anything she ever imagined. On the map, she noticed many nations marked by various symbols. Some that fall within her attention is first and foremost her birthplace, Arendelle. And then Westergard, her state of study. The place where she earned her Ph.D. and even the unnamed north Winterland was marked. The place had sponsors, intelligence plants, and remote servicemen everywhere. Iduna wasn't kidding about this, they will know.

The concrete walls begin to be plastered with color-coded guidance lines as it flowed along a corridor she has yet to traverse. And the fact that there isn't standard on every sector bedazzled her. She shouldn't have missed this day. This is one of the worst kinds of cutting-corners she had ever seen. Two world experiences, two reality experiences, both correct description of ridiculous contrasts between various things within this facility.

Iduna's lab coat mold the experience to be an unnerving one. It could attract every attention of the bored scientists. If it does, they may notice that an argument was about to get started. Depends on the heat, they may just ignore the argument. But no one is going to keep their respectful opinion on lockdown if someone started throwing insults around. It could keep Elsa a company for a bit longer, wouldn't be so bad for her.

Took long enough for Elsa to notice that Iduna raised one of her eyebrows, accompanied by a look lacking of general amusement of the idea that was stated on her. And Elsa got it, she's not alone in her thoughts, nor will she be in case this stand-off demanded direct attention.

"We have all the day for the result, I have a newcomer to assist," Iduna said with surprisingly non-threatening tone.

"That's not for me to decide. And no, please don't file a complaint straight to the administrator. Maybe he won't listen, and for sure will I lose my living space bonus."

"A bonus for a simple favor, he seemed generous enough," Elsa said despite her general distaste of the way administrator run things.

"Oh, and Elsa. There's supposed to be a message for you but the crash ruined everything. The only thing I was told about you is that you're supposed to be the direct specimen handling associate. You should equip your Hazard Suit as soon as possible. I can-" He was about to say something as Iduna cut the conversation short.

"She's just a specimen handler, I get it. I can help her and go straight to the direct analysis office. It shouldn't take long."

"I don't take promises Iduna."

"I'm about to fulfill two. Now can we go?"

"Fine, whatever. If this does turn out to be your loss keep it to yourself, the admin has had enough of bad day already."

The two left the security guard on his assignment. Walking through the corridor with two focus within different thoughts. Elsa paid attention with her sight and mind on the lines along the walls of the corridor, waiting for Iduna to say a word about anything to get a conversation going. This is silence, an awkward one.

A sniff, and twice. And for Iduna, the second one is certainly a worse one to pull off. She had the weight of pressure rather than a genuine cry for help. For her, Elsa was next in line of people she helped. Not until now she realized that today is the first time since ever that she is directly guiding someone while sharing her misery at similar circumstances and moments. She knows from what Elsa does show throughout her reactions that these kinds of conversation injected very unnerving risk-taking experience that for Iduna herself took years to take in. Even after years, she still had much to admit.

Elsa let every second slide awaiting for a statement, and Iduna had none to utter. And well, Elsa had to say something. Maybe she can lift the tense ending of the previous conversation. "Look, I am grateful for your help. But I can't help but feel this going to get us into some… Unintended complications. Can we do this?"

"I'm just cutting off administrator's favor, there's no rules broken," Iduna said.

"But what is he going to do about me?" Elsa asked.

"You do exactly as his request say, nothing can go wrong for you."

"Okay," and Elsa let out a sigh. She just wants to start things off because everything really starts to become exciting when they managed to avoid the personal judgment of the administrator for a time.

They later reached the HEV installation station. The station is located near the employee locker spot on a corridor opposite from one leading to the direct analysis office. Elsa didn't have her own locker yet for the moment, she had to prove herself to earn her place. Easy enough to earn her own locker, but Iduna's level of clearance is a high shoot. She stopped wandering within her own realm of thoughts very soon as they came closer to the installation station.

"That's the thing!" Iduna said as she points Elsa towards one of three stations, within one of them lies a hazard suit. The one with silver paint, or is it unpainted? She can't be sure about that. Some robotic arms are installed on the station mainframe for the purpose of the suit installation process.

"That looked heavy, and somehow I felt like it could break down anytime soon," Elsa said.

"And you're going to need it. This part of Deep Arendelle isn't a joke."

Looking at the suit again, Elsa said "So I am supposed to just strap myself to that… thing?"

"And follow the instructions relayed to you, that's all. And I should go. We will not start the test until you're done. We'll be on the wait," Iduna said while turning away and left Elsa to her own devices.

Elsa started walking around, probing, and pressing things. She just felt a mix of wary and excitement. The suit may break. But if it did, she would be glad to never wear the thing. After disconfirming her own concern herself, she carefully strapped the vital part of the suit to herself. Shouldn't be too hard with a big instruction poster sticking on the wall. But suddenly the station lights turned red and Elsa froze in place as the station automatically assemble the rest of the suit on her body. The helmet is the last thing to be placed on her as she closed her eyes in anticipation. As she listened to the suit vox, the helmet HUDs flashed before her vision as it displayed her biodata.

Subject: Elsa [Inconsistent Data]  
SGender: Female  
SAge: 24 years, 293 months, 8928 days  
Education: Ph.D., Westergard Institute of Technology  
EStudy: Theoretical Physics  
Position: Research Associate  
Assignment: Anomalous Materials Laboratory  
Clearance: Level 2  
Administrative Sponsor: Classified  
Armament Status: Disarmed  
Disaster Response Priority: Discretionary

They have everything deep to her bones. She doesn't remember ever writing down anything about her education besides her Ph.D., the essentials for anyone seeking experience inside the facility. Got her main subject of study as well, all of it is fairly recent information. Strangely they managed to not put her surname on record. Either they're lazy or just mixing up her names with other associates somewhere inside the facility, neither is out of the question considering the crash still in maintenance. At least, her clearance rating shown that she's not the bottom of the barrel as far as personnel privileges go.

It looked like they hold information about her and, for all she knows, her friends, no matter how few she did have. This does make her wonder why people like Iduna seemed to have no concern to piss on administrator's coffee. Well to her words, extraordinary places for extraordinary people, for better or the worse.

Few steps forward and nothing breaks. Some arm swings and finger waggling. All of Elsa's senses managed to convince her that this will not be another turn of misfortunes. And then Elsa heard something that caused her logic to question the validity of what she just heard.

**Communication channels restored. Sector C science personnel, ensure the clearance of the local inbox, please.**

The actual audible message isn't anything that deserved her attention, the announcement voice does flame up her intrigue because somehow it sounded like Iduna. Certainly not the way she speaks but the actual voice flawlessly imitated Iduna's tone of speaking. This certainly wasn't the same voice as the one she heard earlier on the train.

Not long after yet an another, older-sounding voice is heard. This time the voice is directly transmitted into her suit's audio system. But this new voice seemingly chosen to open the conversation with something not very audible.

"Hello, who am I speaking to here?" Elsa asked.

"Come… come in, respond," the unknown voice replied.

"Um… what?" Elsa asked back, no idea in mind for a response.

"You are Doctor Elsa, right?" the voice asked.

"I'm sorry, I'm confused."

"Excuse me for not keeping you on tab with your contacts. I'm Doctor Mattias, here in the direct analysis office with Doctor Iduna," The man said, revealing himself to be Iduna's colleague.

"Is the doctor there? Can I talk to her?" Elsa asked.

"She can't be disturbed as for now, and that is not the reason I called you for," Mattias replied.

"What are the matters?" Elsa asked.

"You may have heard the voice, the doctor has partially fixed the system. And as the messages came in you may want to check on the admission room," Mattias said.

Suddenly Elsa blanked for a few seconds before replying "The admission room? Am I missing something here?"

"The one near the main airlock, one with a world map projected on the wall," Mattias said.

"And should I know why I'm supposed to go there?" Elsa asked.

"You may miss a few messages because of the crash," Mattias replied.

"Alright, and when I'm there, what am I supposed to say to the guard?"

"It's his responsibility to know recipients of these messages. Just answer what he needs to know and he sends you a copy of the message," Mattias informed.

"That's all I need to know. Thanks for the clarification doctor."

"Good to see everything in order. Keep it going, Elsa!"

And the chatter is over. Elsa immediately headed back to the admission room. She had a clean way through, with no other scientists in her way. Seemed like everyone already occupy their various assignments in these tests, just awaiting her turn. And thankfully, her constant anxiety did not override her memory of the place. It's just a few turns to the corridor with the most colorful lines on its walls. And she received immediate notice of the lone security guard as she approached the admission desk. The one that Iduna argued on.

"Excuse me, mister," Elsa greeted.

"Oh, you're back in a flash. And this message of yours is all that left," the security said as he showed her the 'message'. And it is in the form of a recording.

"Well that was fast," Elsa said.

"Since you're in a hazard suit, I figure I can just upload this message to your system. It's a recording so it should be auto-played for you," he stated.

"How long is it?" Elsa asked. But she did not receive an immediate answer. The security just stared at his monitor, on an information only he can understand. Elsa stood there for about thirty seconds before the inquisitive part of herself springs out. And she got his answer before she got her chance to investigate.

"Uploaded, now feel free to go," the security said in a bored tone. He seemed eager to dismiss her on her way and doing whatever he was doing. Not leaving any business in hand, Elsa left.

It's still loading. Elsa keeps slowing down her pace to give the message more time to load. This is the only time she can be sure to have her time with the message, for the test she about to participate had indefinite operational length. Fortunately, it loaded just before she entered an elevator that connected the test labs and the control facilities within sector C. Elsa immediately recognized the tone and the way he speaks. This is Kristoff's message.

**So, this is Elsa on the ears, right? I hoped you managed to get through the day. I don't know exactly how you would feel right at this point, but whatever you think about me, I just wanted to say sorry for a lot of things. I'm sorry that I'm not the most hard-willed person so much that I let you start this day alone. If you feel any itch to blame everything that happened to me, I get it. And in case you were wondering, you didn't get this message earlier because I wasn't around to deliver this message. I was late for reasons that we can talk about later if you wish. The case of whether it is going to be my visit or yours, you decide. Or you can let me know if you can't have a say for some reason. Stay safe.**

And she miscalculated the amount of time she needed to reflect on his message. Elsa still wasn't sure of what she felt hearing his messages. She forgives him, that's a given. But he does give a reason that makes her decision easier to accept. He's late, that's better than forgetting about her. Still hard to believe that she had ever thought of that about Kristoff. She thought she know him for a long time. She still had to understand the only friendship that has been the most consistent for her years outside the facility.

The moment she reached the direct analysis office she shifted her thoughts towards professional matters. The time she spent thinking about Kristoff's message certainly isn't enough. She managed to convince herself that she may be able to come to a say later. Her job requirement is more imminent at the moment, she could not flop it up. Entering the office, she was greeted by four scientists. Doctor Iduna being the most obvious one, Doctor Mattias being the one that greeted her first, and another two scientists that she did not recognize. This is her start to prove her value to the scientific progress.

"Welcome to the team, Doctor!" Mattias said with a congratulatory tone.

"Thank you, am I supposed to do something with this suit on?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, you are supposed to manage the test sample directly down in the test chamber down there," Iduna said as she pointed towards a little opening that overlooked said test chamber.

"As you may have heard, the administrator is very insistent that we obtain any sort of readings from this sample. And no offense, that may be the reason that the administrator is letting both you and Doctor Iduna a pass, just for future headings," said Mattias.

"It's fine, I get it. Now, what should I do down there?"

"About that, both Doctor Bjorgenson and Doctor Frans awaits you within the test airlock down there. Vent on them any question or doubts you might have if necessary," Iduna said.

"Understood, so when can we start?"

"Very enthusiastic of you, but Doctor Iduna here has something to say before we go," Mattias stated.

"So, what are you suggesting?" Elsa asked.

"Not me, but I do know someone," Iduna replied.

And now, Elsa followed Iduna as they parted ways with other scientists. Iduna utilized a retinal scanner by putting her eyes in position for the retinal lens to confirm so they can open the door separating the direct analysis office with a hallway right after it. On the other end of said hallway is someone who had something to say about this test.

"Agnarr, I brought her along. You said you wanted to talk," Iduna called. A mustached scientists with a sideburn responded with a smile and a quick nod before turning his attention to Elsa.

"You're Elsa, right?" Agnarr asked.

"Clarified. Now I have a question, does Elsa over here still need my help for this one?" Iduna said.

"I'm fine. You can leave me be," Elsa replied.

Iduna then leaves them to talk in private.

"In case you're actually anxious about me, I'm her husband."

"Her husband?" Elsa asked. She wouldn't be able to tell without his own mention since his uniform is not too distinct compared to other scientists. Something she would expect from relatives of a high-ranking member.

"Yes, but that's just to assure you that I won't hurt you or anything. There is a… concern that I have to voice considering you are the closest one to the experiment down there," Agnarr stated.

"You had a doubt?" Elsa asked.

"I just want to say, keep yourself away from the sample in case anything goes beyond our control. That's the best I can say to you about my concerns regarding the current test. I could not in my conscience put someone else's life in danger. This place is not alien to those sorts of happenings," Agnarr said with a worried look on his face.

"You say that I could die in this?" Elsa asked.

"We all could die in this. But I hoped that this gut feeling of mine is not shared amongst everyone else. I just had to voice it out, do you understand?" Agnarr said.

"I do, and I can take that as an advice," Elsa replied.

"That's great to hear, now you can go ahead."

Elsa headed towards an elevator nearby and made her way further down. The elevator brought her face to face towards another hallway. This hallway is the one where most of the science staff worked. She only has to find her way on her own, if only she did not have such fear of looking out of place for being totally confused about where she was supposed to go. Elsa decided to just follow the hallway until it leads her towards an iron door. This door slid open revealing an airlock, with two scientists leaning on its walls. It looks like she found what she was looking for.

"Excuse me, I was told to look for Doctor Bjorgenson and Doctor Frans," Elsa asked. Her appearance snapped the leaning scientists out of their daydreaming.

"That is us. The scientists on top told us about you, and so first of all, do you have any concern you might want to say?"

"Are there any risks concerning this specific sample we're about to test?"

"For any theoretical accident below 0.002% (Two over one hundred and thousand chances), only survey teams know about that. So none as far as we're concerned. Is there anything else?"

If Agnarr had any other concerns, he certainly hadn’t voiced it out yet. So Elsa’s ready to go. She conveyed her response with a head shake and closed eyelids. The scientist gives her a go-ahead by opening the airlock door.

She entered the immense, orange painted test chamber. It exudes a cold, metallic atmosphere. As if the place was left unused for years long. Constant metallic clangs entered her ears. Her footsteps made quite a noise on her way to find something to press, and from the looks of it, she had to climb a ladder up into a platform whose heights paralleled with direct analysis office observation window on the adjacent side of the chamber walls. Hard to take her mind off to think of anything else, clattering plus ladders won't encourage people to get to new heights. On the top of the platform, she saw the testing apparatus in its full. The apparatus pointed downward, shaped like an inverted temple of prayers. The lowest "tip" of said apparatus is held together with three small angular cylindrical shapes. And below said apparatus is a pit, supposedly its receiver and the only place that the sample could be put to get any measurable results.

Now the scientists in the observation room started to tests various observational equipment. The loudspeaker is loud and clear, chamber interior lights in low-power mode, energy indicators connected, and her suit is the only thing that is left untested. She had no idea of the cause, maybe this is just a temporary assignment. After receiving a signal from analysis scientists, Elsa did the first step of her job by activating the testing-apparatus. The console lines showed the name of the apparatus, an Anti-Mass Spectrometer. If she had to write a report about this test, can't hurt to remember the name of said machinery. There is not a lot of it and it seemed pretty likely that once this test is done, she won't see the machine for a long time.

There is still one thing about Kristoff's message that Elsa still pondered on. She has not decided nor communicated with him her own decision on whether is it him or her that is going to pay a visit. By default, Kristoff would think to visit her because of the effect that his circumstances had on Elsa's work performance, from his point of view anyway. For more practical reasons, he knew his way around the facility. Even then, still, it is easier for Elsa to say she's the one that will pay the visit. That's always the way she is. And she left her dorms in such a sorry state in her hurry to catch her train. It would be an embarrassing show. She eventually makes up her mind, but she will still going to think further about it until she had the chance to send her message post-testing.

"I noticed a slight discrepancy in…"

And looks like she had to delay the visit. The test felt longer for every moment that passed. The ambiance of jolting energies strikes her hearing as her effort to think something personal keeps diverted away at the machinery in front of her that is now overcharged for the purpose of the test. And suddenly she reminded of Agnarr's warnings earlier.

"Elsa, please insert the specimen."

Elsa hears it, she understands it, she had to do it, and her hesitance will only delay the inevitable. So far it's only Agnarr's worry that resides within her mind. Iduna seemed like she doesn't share the same concern. If she had to trust her feeling, if Iduna thinks nothing will go wrong, nothing will go wrong.

This is a mistake she will have to learn for the rest of her life.

"Get away from the beam-"

That's the only words, the only yell from the scientists that she can hear as loud sounds of large streams of electric interactions invaded her ears through her audio systems. Her vision of the chamber completely obscured by an unbearably bright green light. As the descending chaos ensues, Elsa backed off towards the walls of the chambers. She had no idea of what she did wrong.

"Shutting down… It's not-"

And then a scream. Someone got hurt. This is live-fire. This isn't a test anymore. She can die, so could everyone else. Even then, she could barely comprehend the possibility as another green light in the form of a lightning jolted on her vision. Her bodies reacted faster than her thoughts, her hands covering her eyes as she missed the sight of the test chamber. She missed the sight of everything.

She heard a noise. The only one of her senses that is experiencing something in this void of darkness is her hearing. Her palm felt cold, triggering her second sense. She smelled something gross, triggering her third sense. Her vision cleared out, and then her mind could process what horror she just saw before her eyes.

There are four different varieties of this creature. And exactly four of them that are currently standing before her. These creatures are somewhat humanoid in general form. Three arms, two of them are placed as she would expect from a humanoid creature, and one 'mutated' arm that is protruding from its chest. Dark green skin. One large eye, each of different hues from one another. Violet, dark blue, cyan, and indigo respectively. All of them are staring at Elsa directly and she couldn't look away for all her efforts worth. She expected death, but they wanted something else. And then they did something unexpected.

The violet-eyed creature created a fire out of its third arm. Not normal fires, it's a violet-colored fire. A magical fire, as she had no other words to describe it. It certainly had no scientific explanation from her perspective.

The cyan-eyed creature created a blob of water. It bobbed up and down, completely defied the rule of gravity. Or maybe there isn't any gravity to overrule whatever they are doing. Elsa could only describe it from her perspective as a solid bubble of water. And now she questioned why are these creatures showing these things to her.

The indigo-eyed creature took its turn by creating a rock from nowhere. But the rock that the creature created is originated from nowhere that she ever seen. An alien rock, for short.

Now the last of these creatures showed its abilities. From what she previously seen, Elsa expected a solid wind. What comes, however, is just a large stream of wind. Instead of coalescing into a solid, these wind flew and swirls around Elsa's whole body. Now she might be able to guess what they are trying to do. A presentation ceremony, for whatever reasons.

After the wind swirls around Elsa for a few moments, another sight was revealed to her as the large empty void was slowly replaced by a panoramic view of a world beyond her own. And around the creature, she saw the source of the problem. The glowing rock she just seen is one of similar properties with the one used within Deep Arendelle. And yet, before she could move an inch, she felt the cold again. Elsa started to shivers as the cold strikes through her whole body. And then she sees an ice that sort of spreads throughout her skins. And worse it gets, as the cold is felt within her whole body, inside out. The sheets of ice that replaced her skins now spread at a faster rate. They're trying to freeze her, and there's nothing she can do about it but to question what in the world just happened? And she expected no answer for that one.

She felt the cold deep inside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter overshoot my word count expectation. In the future expects about 2k words per chapter every week of upload.


	3. One Wrong Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The non-standard procedure triggered a catastrophic event written on as a Resonance Cascade. Elsa tries to send a message to the surface, one way or another. While attempting to do so, the relevance of her dreamlike state could possibly attract some unwanted attention. Way more than she would ever expect.

Elsa's awake. This time, all of her senses overwhelm her. From outside, the sound of distant emergency alarms bleed both of her ears and soon, her mind. Inside her suit, the noise of so many overlapping warning messages brings her head closer to the truth of what happened today. As her vision clears out, the messed up HUDs her functional eyes saw symbolized what is currently happening around her. Out of control, outside protocol, awaiting solution.

The test chamber could barely hold itself together. Wires are dangling out of the torn-down wall panels, sparking and discharging its power everywhere. The anti-mass spectrometer no longer shown any operational cues. The chamber is saturated with loads of debris that appeared in various sizes. The entry airlock is left torn open by the force of the cascade. She has to go there. If someone is found dead, not a single future will be available for her to look forward to.

"Someone for the love of heavens, please tell me what happened?!"

Elsa tried to take off her helmet. The disjointed HUDs are headache-inducing to see. One-click and the headgear got off as she fixed her messy hair.

She inhaled every bit of filtered air as she started pulling herself back up. The atmosphere is also accompanied by a foul smell of charcoals. That kind of smell, in a facility that runs almost solely on hydroelectrical power.

Elsa checked her helmet visor, and nothing broke as the suit did its job flawlessly. As soon as she confirmed the helmet safety, she quickly equips the helmet to suppress the disgusting aroma. An aroma that stamped on her one of many implications she is about to witness.

On her slow approach back to the duo daydreamer's airlock, Elsa started hearing an alarming ambience. And then, she saw a flashing green light radiates from the little observatory opening on the chamber walls. Jumping into the airlock in response to the shock, she witnessed a horrifying sight.

Both doctors were lying on the iron-flooring, positioned adjacent to the steel walls of the airlock. Their skin is fried, along with features on their faces that are absolutely deformed by sheer force and exposure of the alien energy. Without a previous introductory exchange, she couldn't possibly guess who they were, and any urge to vomit stopped her possible goodwills.

Two over one hundred and thousand.

Elsa quickly tried to break out of the airlock, but the retinal scanner is out of order. Forcefully, she attempted to manually override the sliding door mechanism. And Elsa's resolve wavered for each and every failed attempt.

And it's all for nothing, as the door is opened from the other side. The door slid open to reveal Doctor Mattias, expecting Elsa on the other side.

"Elsa, you're alive!" Mattias exclaimed.

"Doctor, what happened up there?" Elsa asked.

"Everybody is trying to save their own breathes here, Elsa," Mattias answer is followed by a brief silence. And then he said what he meant to say earlier. "Take the elevator up a floor above, Doctor Iduna is looking for you."

"You're not coming along, Doctor?"

"Too many troubles down here. I will do what I can."

"I'll leave you on your duty, then."

Elsa treads the ignited corridor warily, forcing herself to listen to the noises of the fried machineries that blended with pained grunts of injured scientists. The inactive monitors present in the dark passage reflected the red lights that illumine vividly throughout the halls. Painting a familiar image of desperation and destruction, one that she walked on.  
Back into the elevator, Elsa took the elevator on an ascent. However, the noise of creaking metal frictions all-around pounds her heart to a faster beat.

The metallic creaks stopped along with her ascent, triggering a sliding door mechanism on her front to open up. Her breath, all of a sudden, reactively halted as large volume of grey fumes drifted into her cramped space. Her helmet prevents any possibility of intoxication on her body, the fact she has yet to get used to. Breaking through the smoke, she immediately received the attention of Doctor Iduna and Agnarr alike.

"Elsa, you're alive! Heaven thanks for that hazard suit! Are you hurt? How severe is it?" Iduna worryingly asked.

"I'm fine, I really am. But I want to… Just say that I'm really sorry for what happened down there," Elsa apologized.

Entering the conversation, Agnarr's tone spiked in his attempt to express his wrathful disappointment.

"It's him! I warned him! He should have listened! He should have paid attention! He should have…"

And now Elsa is just scared. This is significant, much so for Agnarr. And Elsa still didn't know where she is supposed to stand in this whole mess.

"Who's 'him'?" Elsa asked.

"The administrator, he is the one who wants to test the anomalous sample we got as soon as possible. Agnarr tried to warn him of the consequences earlier this day. Still, the administrator always gets what he wants," Iduna answered as each sentence uttered, her tone lowers.

"You know and... Why don't you try to stop him too?" doubt Elsa.

"We were a partner in crime, remember. When we arrived here, his intent has been worked on. For the record, Agnarr just told me about it," explains Iduna.

"So there's nothing we can do now?" Elsa sighed.

“Elsa, come a bit closer”

Elsa followed on the instruction as she crouched down, tilting her head a bit forward. Questioning what Agnarr is about to do. As her audio reception system is in-range, Agnarr issued a minor command on her suit.

“Initiate status check.”

_Online medical systems: Locomotion (25% operational), Visual (10% operational), on reserve (64% available)  
High impact reactive armor confirmed  
Atmospheric contaminants disabled  
Vital monitors essentials  
Heads-up display limited  
Defensive armaments automatic_

She is still confused about Agnarr’s intention.

“What was that for?”

“You’re have everything to get the word out,” Agnarr replied.

“Get out? Shouldn’t we just stayed here?” Elsa asked.

“We won’t survive here for long if no help came from above. We, our daughter, everyone really needed the help,” explains Agnarr.

Elsa doesn’t know any better about how to manage something on this scale of disastrous failure, surely not from her small bite of a role. She would have picked an audio-transmitter of any forms and start yelling warnings towards the surface. Fried out electronics, and the fact that none of the scientists suggested such as a possibility, Elsa assumed for the worst.

“Alright, what is my part?”

Elsa gives Agnarr some seconds to thoughtfully reconsider what he just said. And in correlation, what is he about to say.

“Get through Sector B and find a way to the surface from there. Your hazard suit will be more than enough for any necessary self-defense. If you meet anyone that isn’t running away from these aliens, tell them to rescue us in the dormitories.”

Dormitories? Sector A? That's the exact point where she started today. That sector is roughly an entire kilometer spent over a train. About fifteen minutes on a train too, and that's complying with the delays and downtimes.

“What are you doing in the dormitories?”

“Our daughter is there, we are parents above all else. She has to get out, even if we didn’t,” Iduna said.

“Can’t we rally together towards the dormitories and pick her up first?”

“We don’t know how long this facility will support our escape or yours. Take your chance and get out of here, if you succeed maybe you will be our hero. You said you never wanted this, now your chance is up for the taking,” Iduna stated.

“You did a lot for me, miss. I won’t forget it.”

“Tell them to save us, and if we managed to get out, your heroics would be something I will always remember taking part in, you can do this,” assure Iduna.

“I will. And I won’t disappoint you, Mr Agnarr,” Elsa said as her look lingers briefly on both of her troubled colleagues. Take a big heart for her to walk away with such an expectation to realize. Reentering the chaotic Analysis Office, now they’re just one slide of a door apart. And her unique taste of trouble coalesces not very long after.

On her left, lengthy and focused bonds of electric stream shot through the observatory opening. Elsa instinctively threw herself at a half-opened glass door on her back, generating half a second length of a glassy defragmental noise. The thunderous sound of the electrical impact shocked the surrounding air into ethereal waves that crashed outwardly against everything around the metallic point of impact.

Elsa closed her sight of the flash, with her gloved hands slamming against the frequency receiver that wired around the metallic plate that pressed her ears into her sides. Her suit absorbed the pressure of the shockwave. Nonetheless, it has nothing that is ever capable of suppressing her survival instinct. It does nothing to make Elsa any less vulnerable, so long as her pain exist to remind her.

Elsa attempted to push herself up and force open her eyes, just in time to perceive a small flash that turned her face away from the overcharged console on the metallic walls. It violently explodes her surroundings, and her heartbeat.

It overwhelmed her fractured nerves, startled her.

Her shallow breathing recovers in the count of eight. Pushing her body against the ground, Elsa crawled over hundreds of charged metal splinters, squashing them against the pressure of her palm and knee. Elsa blinked five times, to reorient her blurred vision. Half of an office left to crawl, her ear picks up a crack.

What is there to explain a sheet of ice, not cubes, that all of the sudden lying grafted on the floor and walls?

Elsa forced herself to continue crawling and crushing the ices and frozen splinters. Running into an icy elevation, she pushed herself to its side and lifted her whole suit up. About to lose balance, Elsa stabilized herself against a wall.

How did she leave those things in there, or what is this whole disaster is supposed to be?

Unfortunately, rattling noises indicated that the last elevator to the multi-colored corridor is already on its way. But from now on, it will never arrive at its destination. Maybe its occupant should be aware by now.

Elsa noticed a crowbar, gripped by a charred hand. Third charred hands that she saw today, disgusting. She could not recognize this part of somebody, although this will be a quaint reminder of the possible consequence for oblivious minds.

The elevator stayed too long for her unstable nerve. Elsa is still terrified of a prospect of being accused of the national property vandalism. Seeing so many things in pieces, maybe she can get away with this one.

Elsa raised her hands, gripping the crowbar tightly, as its pointed end aimed at the glass panel of the door. The pointed ends never meet this glass in contact as Elsa heard a terrifying scream carried by a brief, passing wind.

AAAAAAAAAHHHH…

Elsa brings herself back up, cooling her nerves. And somehow, her surroundings are frozen again. The glass she meant to break is now coated with snowflake grafting on its slick, transparent surface, coming apart in a single poke of a crowbar.

Bringing her head low to the floor, Elsa crawled through the little opening. Her hand quivering as it pressed against the square-cut grating platform of the doomed elevator, fearing that she would be accidentally subjected to the same fate as these ill-fated scientists.

Buried under the abandoned metals of the fallen facility.

Her heavy pair of gloves now gripped the railings of an emergency ladder. Putting her right boots on the lowest railings, Elsa started her slow, strenuous, and lengthy ascent.

Now is a more believable time than there ever was to believe that she just caused these icy phenomena.

Her dream froze her, the elemental creatures in her dream did it. And now the mystical power will follow her every wake. And eventually, so will these strange creatures arrive.

“Don’t look, Elsa. Just don’t.”

Now about few railings left towards the top, Elsa hastily climbs the remaining length of the ladder with her focus lies on the top. And she kept thinking about this power and its implications on her survival. So much that a sudden gunshot managed to loosen her grip, corresponding with her thinking that suddenly shifted trying to comprehend the sudden audio spike. The worst part is, her grip will not matter in this case.

She has never been so scared of a ladder before.

Elsa quickly raced her pair of hands, gripping every railing left. Now she’s four railings away from the uppermost of the ladder, and her boots stepped on the coldest railing of all.

It left her pair of knees hanging, loosely.

Elsa takes in as much air as possible and then forcing her whole body up with the force of her hands alone. Reaching the top, she quickly dismounted herself off the ladder into the platform nearby, as she takes a lot of long, deep, desperate breathes.

She’s going to be okay.

“Take a couple, headhumper!”

Elsa pushed herself up and away from the platform, hearing the muttering of someone else. Through the door, she saw a security guard shooting at a lumbering humanoid. Obviously human, or it was a living one. The humanoid wears a standard white science team coat, now with a so-called headhumper latched on his head. The humanoid lumbered towards the guard, whose pistol shot up exactly two bullets. He’s reloading a few feet in front of the creature.

Elsa quickly tried to grab the creature. But its claws suddenly swings to her face, almost landing it on her visor. Elsa managed to grab said claws and pinned the creature to the wall. Something she wouldn’t even dare to think of doing without the safety guarantee of her suit. The creature strength completely took her off by surprise, moving her pinning hands inches by inches. But her effort paid off as the security pressed the barrel of his pistol against the head of this creature, and Elsa witnessed close execution of the creature as the headhumper pulsated chaotically after receiving each penetration through its flesh.

Releasing the limp corpse, Elsa switched her attention to the security guard.

“Whew, that was close. Thanks for the help. You’re part of science team down there aren’t you?”

“I am,” Elsa answered clearly.

“What are these things? Why are they wearing the science team uniform?”

“I don’t know. Um…Try to check on the science teams down there. Just… be careful with the ladders,” Elsa warned him. 

“That’s in my job description, miss. But these bullets can only solve problems for so long, If you intend to go out there, tell anyone outside to rescue us as soon as possible,” The guard said.

“How long can your ammo last?”

“In a worst-case scenario, an hour,” he answered.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Keep the science team safe,” Elsa said.

“Keep yourself safe, we’ll see you on the surface,” The guard said.

She retreads the color-coded corridors, on her way back to check on the train stations. The pessimist within her implanted the possibility of any standby trains to be boarded off by other desperate personnel. Brushing that off, Elsa broke through and stride on.

One step back into the admission room, Elsa surged her own awareness the moment a gaping, cleanly opened airlock came into her aim. The blackened out projectors and lights rendered the place to abide by similar atmospheric aftermath with those who suffered a few hundred meters down. Elsa still wasn’t sure of how far-reaching the incident was.

The ambience doubled down on her warily state of mind as her stare is shifting towards an unoccupied armchair. Fresh blood trickling down, embedding the soft surface of the seating with a reddish hue. Its unfortunate owner is nowhere to be seen, not even what’s left of him.

Another red liquid, this one in little patches, is cast over by the light of Elsa’s flashlight. The gaping airlock is on the receiving end. She had no reason to think this blood is of anyone else. Was that “Living Space” bonus worth it?

Corner-peeking from the interior, a rotten figure in blue is seen and heard. Its head swayed hastily corresponding with the hard swiping of its claws against the sturdy metal framings of an idling train. The futile swipes cast audible clangs, echoing morbidly across bottomless pits and distant walls.

Elsa approached the unaware corpse. The force of her boots vibrated the platform. Noticeable enough for the zombie to turn around. The zombie slumbered towards Elsa’s position, now stood close to the safety railing.

Elsa smashed the zombie sides with the crowbar middle handle. Not the best part to kill anyone with. Though Elsa did plan what this hit is going for. As the zombie tumbled against the railing, she immediately seizes a pistol stuck in his holster. Before the zombie could retaliate, Elsa pushed the abomination off the railing. Away into the pit below.

17/0

And of course, she forgets to snatch some spare bullets.

Elsa looked into the train, curious of what the zombie was expecting. And well, it’s just the drunken guard. Now sitting on a seat, her seat that is, looking like a loser that just lost his whole fortune.

“What are you doing? Why haven’t you got away?” Elsa asked.

“What’s the point, beauty?” he replied snarkily.

That’s not a question she would be willing to answer.

“Get out of there!” Elsa demanded.

“This thing is infected, my lady.”

“Treacherous words,” Elsa said.

The guard then approached her. Elsa stepped back a bit, giving him space to jump out if that is his intent. What could he do? Slam that bottle on her? His disrespectful actions already make her tired of his antics. She doesn’t have any memorable moments worth saving with this stranger. A hit to his head certainly wouldn’t hurt.

His stare shifted from Elsa to one of his arms, a bloodied one. And then he pulled up the blue fabric of his lower right arms. Revealing a talon scratch, just a little. And he thinks he’s infected.

“Really? Just…Get out!!” Elsa raised her tone.

“This thing isn’t moving anytime soon, leave me alone.”

And that’s all he had to say from the start. Damn, she hated the guy. Elsa is about to leave until she remembers someone.

Kristoff.

He deserved to know of her current circumstances. She had no idea of where Kristoff’s whereabouts are, for now. Elsa decided that she is going to send a one-way message. He doesn’t have  
to know her whereabouts, only her destination mattered.

Sector B.

**This is Elsa, and I say it now that you're not wrong, but I'm not going dive into that specifics. At this point, you may have already aware of the situations in Sector C. I’m fine, don’t worry. There is a lot of my colleague however, that placed their survival upon my hands. I want to share this promise together, as a friend. Head towards the Sector B. Asks any escapees for an exit route. I’ll be waiting around the exit as long as possible. This is a one-way message. Expect no further correspondence from my part.**

Elsa had her message written down on a paper. She isn’t exactly tech-savvy when it comes to Deep Arendelle pieces of equipment. Figured that she could utilize the drunken jerk, as much as she hates how it sounds.

“Back again, Miss Elsa?”

“Doctor Elsa, to be exact,” Elsa said.

“You value that title so much, do you?”

“Take this paper and do me a favor, gentlemen,” Elsa said.

“Brave lady. You know who you are talking to?”

“Now you’re nothing. I put the recipient name, you just send the thing to him with the admission computer, and you know where it is,” Elsa said hastily.

“What if I say I couldn’t care less?”

“You’re a disposable option, I couldn’t care less of your opinion,” Elsa stated.

Elsa walked away from the train, hoping that this is the last of his kind. In all honesty, she did not expect that Kristoff would be able to receive this message of hers. She is still holding out hope that he might be okay. Better safe than sorry.

Elsa followed the red-colored line on the wall, subtitled ‘Anomalous Materials Lab: Research’. The other two lines lead to a dead-end, maybe this one will actually continue. Or maybe she was supposed to exit the sector with the remotely managed train if only their services weren’t so unreliable.

The corridor she walked along is sandwiched between two rooms, and on its far side, the corridor width shrinks as it takes its turns to the left. Her eyes couldn’t be bothered to check the rooms the moment she saw a sign. It pointed her out the fact that Sector B can be reached through this smaller corridor. Elsa walked into the smaller corridor, stopped by a sight worth to look for.

17/17

A security guard body is found sitting against the corner. Looks like the unlucky guy had his attention full of something to receive a scratch much larger than the one received by that jerk earlier. On the opposite side, lies a truly-dead zombie. There are four penetration spots that can be seen by Elsa on its head. Elsa then took the magazine, one piece that is still left. Maybe that’s all every security ever has to carry.

The glass door on her front is dysfunctional, as its strewn shards of reinforced glasses may imply. Elsa crawled through, and then pushed herself up. Her first entry into the sewage maintenance area.

Unlike the main area of Sector C, the sewage maintenance area is walled by steely surfaces that supported the sewage control machineries placed up near the ceilings. Making these machines safe from fluidic interferences as an example on her left shows. On her left stood a series of pipes, one of them is broken. The leaking water fortunately haven’t flooded the room yet.

Elsa lifted her pistol barrel as she listened to a whirring noise. And shortly, the source showed its abominable features.

A dog-sized creature came charging closer in very rapid hops, its one back leg struggling to keep up the pace with its two frontal legs. Hundreds of dark brown eyes amalgamate on its flat facial silhouette, with no nose to smell her nor are there is mouth to bite her. Its yellow skin makes its appearance stands out in the steely corridor.

The creature stopped and then increased its volume of whirrs. Elsa holds her fire because she wasn’t sure if this creature is inherently hostile, not implied by its appearance.

16/17

The creature converted its concentration of power into waves of white energy, blasting all around the creature. Elsa fired her pistol in surprise as the blast thrusts her whole body to her back, wasting her ammo. The square-shaped lights above her crashed against her suit, splintering apart in a direct hit to her chest.

Elsa breathed heavily. Her hand moving around trying to grab her gun handle, fortunately getting one. Elsa then pushed herself up against the pipes behind her, preparing for another knockback.

That isn’t exactly what she got.

The floor, once again, is covered in ice. The hostile doggies she aimed at now lies sickly on the frozen floors, twitching and letting out pained wails.

And the mystique is back.

Elsa wriggled her fingers, trying to find out how these power could possibly be channelled out of her body. That’s how people spelt magic, isn’t it?

Elsa swings her arm back in preparation, then flung it in the direction of the sickly creature. Freezing skin ended up as the cause of its death.

This whole thing is going to take her time to take.

**Unauthorized biological forms detected in the sewage maintenance area, Sector B.**

Iduna’s cold imitation sends its voice across the sector.

Decidedly, Elsa can consider the ever-present voice as a gift, or a warning.

The slog she will have to undertake to leave the underground will either melt her worrisome nerves, or it will be a rehash of her morning drift throughout the halls. On a timer, confused, in silence, on-the-go planning, there’s the idea. She does get a colder, and less personal reminder this time around.

Elsa vigilance meant that she wouldn’t miss any single notice.

And this black-suited man and his briefcase is hardly trying to be subtle about it.

“Mister, can I help you? Or can you help me?!”

In any other cases, Elsa just ignored any attentive pair of eye on her. She could not even vomit a passable theory on why this particular man is doing whatever he is doing.

Standing ominously on a platform over her heights. He observed her while straightening his ties, and just left.

Was that The Administrator?

Elsa wasn’t very keen on meeting him on the very first mention. His behaviour implied that Elsa isn’t going to receive any good if she decided to apprehend him.

Elsa stopped her stride, prompted by a sudden electrical noise. Bringing up her pistol, Elsa decided to stop holding those bullets back. They’re not friendly, caused by the facility blunders, and she has her excuse to initiate a property damaging act to incapacitate those creatures.

Even more excuse to unload the bullets as the creature blasted a door apart, revealing itself to be the kind of one that she’s been preparing for.

That creature were giving her bad dreams, and now it’s coming to realize it forever.

12/17

Four bullet holes, its edges smoothly folding into the flesh of the large dark blue eyeball. Elsa had fired her pistol from very close range, catching the creature off guard.

Elsa had to make every bullets count, may so that she will inevitably let some hapless soul wanders to no end.

The next corridor, Elsa is greeted by another zombie. Grunting in pain as it approached her, or the spot where she used to be.

Let one poor soul wander.

Bit further down the facility, another doggies materialized inside a large crate. The whirring noises prompted Elsa’s response.

13/17

Three clean holes in and out. Accompanied by three consecutive sounds of wooden surfaces being popped off.

Bit further proceedings, and way further into the chasm of disappointment. Elsa leaned on the wall beside her, putting a stressful facepalm after seeing how close her destination would have been if not for the matter at hand.

The grated platform leads about 45 degrees lower than it should have been. Instead of reaching towards the corridor on the other side, it tumbled down towards a canal stream. On the elevation near the stream, four headhumpers wandered around without a corpse to control.

The moment she plunged into those waters, the headhumpers will take a chance with her head.

But she doesn’t have to go through the water.

Walking over it is an option.

It’s surprisingly easy for conservative concerns to take over her whole mind.

Elsa flung her arms over the active streams, her powers caused the water to freeze. But the makeshift bridge can only withstand the incoming stream for so long.

Elsa does a quick little jump over the frozen water. Mostly because she isn’t very used to the doses of morphine applied on her every time she tried to run with the suit on, which is a few times on her own reflex. Elsa managed to reach the other side before the headhumpers managed to make a jump on her.

8/17

Five bullets fired resulted in four holes. Her adrenaline messes with her first shot. The headhumpers were thrown back against the impact of her munition, with a single rough-edged hole on each of them.

By now Elsa expects her pistol to hollowly click. Because her firearm proficiency ended on how to reload it. And she did it slowly the last time she ever gets her hand on one.

Elsa used the maintenance ladder nearby to climb over to the side she wishes to reach. The corridor leads directly into an elevator. The exit elevator she hoped.

She pressed the elevator button, taking her to the highest floor accessible.

Before the elevator closed its door, a little sound of ice cracking rushes into her hearing. It means that she isn’t going to leave a lot of traces down there.

Elsa holstered her weapons as she looked at her cold palm.

“What am I supposed to say about this?”

**Attention, Biohazard materials detected in Sector B and C.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About a week late. This chapter is supposed to come out on March 12nd. I'll try to be less lazy when it comes to updating consistently. Fortunately, the word count doubled over my initial expectation. I'll have more time to spare for more consistent updates.

**Author's Note:**

> The November 22nd of 2019, climax of Frozen 2 hype and the beginning of Half-Life: Alyx hype. This idea had been lying about inside my head since Frozen 2 teaser stormed the world. I had no intention to ever write it in fanfic form until 22nd of November last year, the very same day that the half-life rose from the grave since like 2009. This is my first time writing, feel free to correct my mistakes. But most importantly, give me some idea on how I can improve my lackluster action scenes if you will.


End file.
